Te Wānanga o Aotearoa (TWOA) governing council member, Professor Jacinta Ruru told graduates they had achieved more than a qualification at this year's He Puāwaitanga (graduation) ceremony.
Professor Ruru, who represented Te Mana Whakahaere (the governing council of TWOA), is a long-serving Professor of Law at the University of Otago, New Zealand's first Māori Professor of Law, and a recipient of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to Māori and legal education.
Addressing graduates and their supporters at SIT Hansen Hall on 5th September, Professor Ruru said their graduation marked a significant milestone, representing countless hours of learning, perseverance, determination, and sacrifice. “It reflects the courage to begin something new, the commitment to continue when challenges arose, and the resilience to see your journey through to completion."
Te Wānanga o Aotearoa is celebrating 20,718 tauira (students) through 45 graduation ceremonies across the nation this year.
Professor Ruru explained the term He Puāwaitanga, meaning "to come to fruition", to blossom, emerge and realise potential, reflected the true purpose of education.
"It is a beautiful expression because it reminds us that education is not simply about gaining a qualification. It is about growth. It is about discovering strengths, building confidence, strengthening identity, and preparing ourselves to contribute to our whānau, communities, and the wider world."
Professor Ruru encouraged graduates to reflect on how far they had come since first enrolling.
"Some of the most valuable lessons learned during study are not found in textbooks or assessments. They are found in perseverance, self-belief, collaboration, and personal growth. These lessons will continue to serve you long after today."
Professor Ruru described graduation as a shared achievement, acknowledging the contribution of whānau, friends, kaiako, and support networks. She encouraged graduates to celebrate their success, recognise their supporters, and be confident as they began a new chapter.
"…Take time to acknowledge what you have achieved… Then step forward into your next chapter with confidence, knowing that you carry not only a qualification, but also the knowledge, values, and experiences that will help shape your future."
Representing SIT, Chief Executive Bharat Guha spoke at the graduation as part of the institute's ongoing partnership with Te Wānanga o Aotearoa. He said the graduates of both Te Whare Reo and Te Whare Pora were helping strengthen and nurture important cultural knowledge for future generations.
"For those of you from Te Whare Reo, every time you speak te reo Māori, you are helping to keep alive a language that carries whakapapa, history, identity, humour, values and a unique way of seeing the world," he said.
Mr Guha encouraged the graduates to continue sharing their knowledge and skills within their whānau and communities. "... You have knowledge to share. You have a language to speak. You have traditions to practise. And you have taonga to pass on to those who will come after you."
He encouraged graduates to celebrate their achievement while continuing their learning journey. "Kia kaha te kōrero Māori. Kia kaha te raranga. Kia kaha te ako. Keep speaking. Keep weaving. Keep learning. And, most importantly, keep sharing what you know with others."
Guest speaker Athena Kent, who represented graduates from TWOA Te Whare Reo programmes, reflected on the transformative impact of her studies.
Enrolling in a Level 1 programme began as a personal challenge for Mrs Kent after years of feeling drawn to learn te reo Māori.
“There has always been a calling in me to go and study Māori, and every year that I didn’t do it I felt so terrible. So, I signed up by myself and made a wero (challenge) for myself - to complete level one.”
After completing Level 1 te reo, Mrs Kent admits “I couldn’t stop”; she has continued each year and is now preparing to finish New Zealand Diploma in Te Reo (Rumaki) (Level 6).
She described her learning experience as "rewarding, healing, cup-filling; all the good feelings!", highlighting noho marae as a standout part of her studies. One memorable experience was a dawn hīkoi at Waitati, watching the sunrise from Māpoutahi Pā overlooking Karitane.
Mrs Kent said maintaining a strong sense of purpose and relying on friendships formed through the programme helped her navigate challenges.
"I've made many friends along the way who I now consider to be whānau. We lean on each other in the hard times."
She acknowledges now she is on this path, her learning will continue indefinitely. “What I have learnt is that this journey will never end. For me, my journey ahead looks like attending Māori kaupapa hui, wānaka, noho marae, meeting with friends to kōrero Māori, anything to keep me immersed in te ao Māori!”
Graduate Gladys Henderson, who spoke on behalf of the graduating Rāranga (weaving) class - the New Zealand Certificate in Ngā Toi (Level 4) (Arts) - described the programme as a journey of "Finding Our Ara” or finding one's path. She said students came from diverse backgrounds and experiences but were united through weaving, learning not only technical skills but also deeper lessons about identity, culture, whānau, and connection.
Mrs Henderson said working with harakeke (flax) transformed the group, teaching them the tikanga (customary/correct way) of harvesting and preparation while encouraging personal growth. “[When] our hands met harakeke something changed… We boiled it. We dyed it. We split it. We softened it. And sometimes, I suspect, it did much the same to us.”
"In our own words, this part of the journey was challenging, humbling, joyful and richly creative. It became a place of deep reflection, renewal and connection."
Throughout the course, students gained practical weaving skills alongside a stronger understanding of mātauranga Māori, whakapapa, and tikanga. Mrs Henderson said they learned "patience, respect and connection, to the land, to tradition, and to those who wove before us," as well as the importance of slowing down, listening, and trusting their hands.
Mrs Henderson also paid tribute to the late Kaiako, Rokahurihia Ngarimu-Cameron, whose teaching extended beyond weaving. "Roka did so much more than teach us how to weave. She wove us together as whānau," she said, describing the learning environment as one grounded in tikanga, respect, manaaki and aroha.
Reflecting on the legacy of the programme, Mrs Henderson said one of its most important lessons was that knowledge and skills survive when people choose to carry them forward. She finished with a reminder of the programme's central lesson: "He tangata. He tangata. He tangata. What is the most important thing? It is people."